120 Years Swimming Upstream

History

In Dufftown we say “Rome was built on seven hills and Dufftown stands on seven stills.”

Constructed in 1897 — and the seventh of the distilleries — Glendullan sits on the bank of the River Dullen amongst the picturesque Convall Hills.

Glendullan’s onion-shaped stills produce a delicate spirit with a green apple profile. Most of our product is aged in American oak bourbon barrels, which impart sweetness and a rich nuttiness. A smaller portion of our single malt is aged in fruity European sherry casks.

Master of Malts Keith Law draws on 36 years of experience to blend the two whiskeys into The Singleton Glendullan.

Delicate. Light. Perfectly balanced. Drink it however you want. The Singleton Glendullan is a uniquely versatile single malt. It boasts fresh, complex flavors that will excite experienced imbibers and convert novice drinkers with their sheer deliciousness. Buy a bottle — 12 YO, 15 YO, or 18 YO — and make it yours.

Did YouKnow?

Glendullan once maintained a private railway to transport its casks to market. Amongst its destinations was the court of King Edward VII, where the liquor was highly prized.

Our Timeline

Beginning in 1897 at the edge of the River Fiddich, The Singleton story is still being written.

Scroll up and down the timeline to reveal more.

1897

Glendullan is founded by William Williams & Sons Ltd., blenders from Aberdeen, and is the last of seven distilleries to be built in Dufftown. It shares a private railway siding with nearby Mortlach and all the machinery is driven by an overshot water wheel powered by water from the River Fiddich.

1898

The first consignment of barley arrives and distilling begins. After early success it is rumoured to be a favourite of King Edward VII.

1919

1926

While they’re still deciding the final name of the company, it’s taken over by The Distillers Company Ltd., and a new company is formed, called Macdonald Greenlees Ltd.

1930

Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd take over the distillery.

1940

Like so many others, the distillery is closed during the war due to shortages.

1947

Glendullan reopens, with most mechanical operations powered by water wheel.

1955

William Innes (b.1866) dies in Dufftown aged 89. Innes was almost certainly the first distillery manager at Glendullan and may have worked there until his retirement. He and his wife are recorded as living at Glendullan House in the 1901 and 1911 censuses, and she dies there in 1917.

1962

New plant is installed in the mash house, tun room and stillhouse. The two stills, previously heated by coal furnace, are converted to internal steam heating.

1968

The last trains use the siding – all transport is now by road.

1972

The size of the site and the plentiful water from the Fiddich mean that, with rising demand at home and abroad, the construction an additional distillery, this time with six stills, is possible. Built on the field between the old distillery and staff housing, the distance between the two has been described as “A short one when the weather’s good, and a long one when it isn’t.”

1985

The Old Glendullan buildings on the distillery site are decommissioned, though they remain in use as a workshop.

1990s

An 8 year old distillery bottling is replaced by a 12 year old in the Flora and Fauna range of distillery bottlings.

2006

The Singleton of Glendullan 12 year old becomes available in the USA.

2010

Part of the distillery equipment is replaced, including a new lauter mash tun.

2013

A state of the art bio diversity plant is opened on the site at Glendullan.

2015

The Singleton of Glendullan launches three new expressions as a Global Travel Exclusive: Classic, Double Matured and Master’s Art.